Dissatisfied with the "aggression against Yemen", Saudi Arabia and Bahrain expelled the Lebanese ambassador

Source: Xinhua Net

Lebanon's minister of information in a pre-appointment interview pointed out that Saudi Arabia led its allies to "invade" Yemen's remarks caused diplomatic disputes, the Saudi government on the 29th asked the Lebanese ambassador to Saudi Arabia to leave the country within 48 hours, while recalling the ambassador to Lebanon and suspending the import of Lebanese goods.

Another Gulf State, Bahrain, subsequently requested the Lebanese ambassador to leave the country within two days on the same grounds.

The diplomatic spat stemmed from a video interview with Lebanon's information minister, George Kurdashi, before taking office. In an interview with Qatar's Al Jazeera, Kurdani identified the Saudi-led action against the Houthis in Yemen as "aggression" and the Houthis engaged in a "war of self-defense." Kurdashy considered the war "ridiculous" and "unhelpful" and had to stop.

In September 2014, the Houthis seized the Yemeni capital, Sana'a, and later the southern part of Yemen. In March 2015, Saudi Arabia joined forces with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and other Gulf states to launch a military operation code-named "Decisive Storm" against the Houthis.

Kurdashi, a former television presenter, was appointed information minister for the new government in September. Kurdashi explained at a news conference this week that the interview aired on Aug. 5 before he became information minister, and that he had followed government policy since taking office and did not publicly express personal opinions. Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati also stressed this point in his initial response, saying that Kurdashi's remarks in the interview did not represent the government's position.

However, Kurdash refused to apologize for the remarks involved, saying that he had no intention of resigning for this reason. "We should not continue to succumb to extortion, whether the other side is a country, an ambassador or any individual."

Lebanon has been mired in an economic and financial crisis since the end of 2019, with the Lebanese pound depreciating more than 90% to date, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the explosion at the port of Beirut last August. According to the United Nations in September, three-quarters of the population in Lebanon is poor. Saudi Arabia has always been Lebanon's main export target. Reuters reported that Saudi Arabia's ban on the import of Lebanese goods will undoubtedly exacerbate the latter's financial and economic difficulties. The report quoted sources as saying that saudi arabia's move is intended to put pressure on the Lebanese side and force Kurdashee to resign.

The Lebanese Prime Minister's Office statement said that after consultations with President Michel Aoun, Mikati had a telephone conversation with Kurdash on the evening of the 29th, calling on the latter to "make appropriate decisions in the interests of the country to repair the relations between other Arab countries and Lebanon." The Associated Press said that amounted to demanding Kurdashi's resignation in an attempt to calm the situation.

Mikati expressed regret over the Saudi response and urged the other side to reconsider its decision. He said the Lebanese government had always "categorically rejected" any act that undermined the "deep brotherhood" between Risha and Risha. Mikati also called on other Arab leaders to mediate.

Saudi Arabia has identified Yemen's Houthi forces with the support of the Iranian and Lebanese Allah Parties, and has designated the Allah Party as a terrorist organization. The Associated Press said the conflict between Saudi Arabia and Iran often spilled over into Lebanon. Relations between Saudi Arabia and Lebanon have been strained in recent months, with Saudi Arabia saying Lebanese politics is under the control of the Allah Party. In April, Saudi Arabia banned the import of fruits and vegetables from Lebanon on the pretext of cracking down on drug smuggling. (Shen Min) (Xinhua News Agency special article)